Truffles 101 with Chef Giacomo Marinello

Truffles are ugly. They look deformed. They grow underground for long periods of time. And honestly, they smell a bit funky too. At first, it’s hard to think of these weird, expensive mushrooms as something luxurious to put on food, but that’s where I was wrong.

Truffles are in fact delicious and there is a whole science behind why its flavor is so magical.

I learned this first in Bellagio, Italy. We were having dinner at La Terrazza Metropole last May and Maria decided to order a plate of simple fresh noodles with lots of summer truffle shavings. I was pretty amazed. With just a few ingredients – a bit of olive oil, some grated Parmesan and truffles - this dish was refreshing, yet comforting and earthy. I couldn’t figure it out.

Luckily, we found the perfect opportunity to learn more about the magical mushroom during Mariano’s La Tavola Italiana this past week. Chef and truffle expert Giacomo Marinello taught us all the basics during his “All about truffles” seminar and even gave us lots of great tips during his cooking demo.

Where do truffles come from?

The main thing to know about truffles is that most of their distinct flavor is defined by its soil, mixed with the right temperature and humidity. There are also many varieties of truffles in a single region but these varieties are mostly classified as white and black truffles.

White truffles are the most expensive and also more intense in flavor. They grow in Italy, mostly in the Piedmont region, and also in Croatia. Black truffles are more affordable and are more commonly found in Italy, France and Croatia.

Other truffle varieties, like the Chinese truffle are more abundant, but not as intense in flavor. Also, the ability to do truffle farming wouldn’t make them any better. “You can’t replicate truffles in a lab,” explains Chef Marinello. “It needs to grow naturally. Even if you transplant a tree, it might not be successful.”

When is truffle season and how do you harvest them?

Truffles grow attached to trees, so when their associated tree grows, the truffle grows. The seasons for each variety are different. Italian black summer truffle season, for instance, happens from May through September. Black winter truffle season runs from November to April.

White winter truffles, on the other hand, can be found from September to January, while white spring truffles can be found in May.

Truffles are harvested using special dogs that can easily locate the aroma, so the owner of the property knows where to dig. “The aroma is important because that’s the only way to know when the truffle is mature,” says Marinello. “We don’t usually know how long it takes to grow.”

Shelf life and best ways to incorporate fresh truffles and truffle oils

When you purchase your fresh truffles, Marinello recommends to never freeze them. Not only do they lose some of its flavor, but also become spongy. Fresh truffles should ideally be consumed within three days, but could last up to a week.

As for preparation, the chef recommends to keep them raw if you can, as the flavor will be more intense. Marinello likes to grate them to incorporate the flavor really well in mashed potatoes, pastas or other fatty or starchy recipes. “Every recipe you have with eggs, you can put truffles and it will work,” Marinello says.

For presentation and taste, he likes to serve his plates with shaves of white or black truffles.

Remember that just a small amount can help infuse dishes with incredible umami goodness. If you can’t get a hold of fresh truffles, you can also try adding truffle infused oils and sauces to your recipes, like the white truffle sauce from San Pietro a Pettine that he added to a beautiful risotto. It’s delectable.

“Truffles are a great way to add lots of flavor. That’s why chefs get so excited when it’s truffle season. For us, it’s playtime.” We hope this post inspires many of you to have fun in the kitchen with such a cool ingredient. Until next time.